Apple Watch Sport Edition vs Nike Fuelband

UPDATE: Okay, I’m offering my Apple Watch to my kids these days. Not in anticipation of the new version that is supposed to come out in the next week, but because I’ve gone back to the $40 fuel band. Why?

Charge lasts weeks
It displays time and fitness goals
The Nike app to track fitness is awesome
I like the smaller look and feel of the Fuel Band
I can wear it at night because it doesn’t have to be charging all the time

I’ll keep you updated when I see the new Apple Watch styles, but I’m growing less enchanted with my Apple Watch every day.

[Note: Since they have been discontinued, the Fuelband is available from $40 – $60 on craigslist. The Nike wins on price by a long margin.]

I advised my brother to get an Apple Watch before the holidays this year. I was pretty happy with my results using the Fitness application. Now I’m not so sure I’d make the same recommendation. Let me explain.

The killer apps for the Apple Watch so far.

Texting Responses

Fitness/Heart rate monitor

Time Telling

Of these three “best” features the Nike Fuelband does fall short. But not by much.

Texting responses
This was one of my favorite features of the Apple Watch. Today, however, I don’t get all that many text messages, so it is not all that frequent when I use the canned Apple Watch responses.

Fitness/Heart rate monitor
It’s true my Fuelband does not give a heart rate reading. And I will miss this feature of the Apple Watch, but like my blood pressure, I don’t need to take this reading every day.
As a fitness monitor, I’m a bit more encouraged by my Fuelband. I like the readout, I like the celebration, I like the Nike website for tracking progress.

Time Telling
Okay, so this is an easy win for the Nike Fuelband.
1. You don’t have to take it off every night for charging.
2. The LED is crystal clear under any lighting conditions.
3. And did I mention I can get the time at 2am when I’m waking up and want to see how many hours I have left to snooze. My Apple Watch is on the night stand getting charged up. I can’t find it. I don’t want to find it. I don’t find it. 100% WIN for the Nike Fuelband.

Other than blood pressure, I get the same data collection from my iPhone. I’m not sure I’d pay for an Apple Watch today. Of course, Nike no longer makes the Fuelband, but I’m sure you can find them on Craigslist.

So, this week I’ve begun wearing my Fuelband again. My poor Apple Watch looks sad on the dresser. I’m hoping some new APP will come out that will take advantage of the heart rate monitor. Or perhaps the V2 of the Apple Watch will have blood pressure and be a real winner.

Today I enjoyed my Fuelband. I think the single black band is more stylish that the watch-looking watch. And I love the fitness progress lights. Sure I have to push a button to get the Fuelband to show me its data, but it’s better than a swimming jelly fish.

I hope Apple will release the Apple Watch OS and hardware to other manufacturers. Because as cool as the watch is, it still looks like a watch. My Nike Fuelband looks like a bracelet. Much more hip, cool, and happening.